A human rights organisation, the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ), has urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Justice Oluwakayode Ariwoola, and the Supreme Court of Nigeria “against setting the peaceful Osun State on fire” with biased judgement on the 2022 Osun State Governorship Election. The apex court is billed to rule on the tussle between Governor Ademola Adeleke and his immediate predecessor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, today, Tuesday, May 9, 2023.
CHRSJ in a statement issued on Monday alleged “Mr. Oyetola and his cohorts have been using the name of President-Elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to intimidate and induce the Supreme Court Judges to manipulate the wheel of justice in favour of Oyetola”. The rights group noted that “it would be a dark day for our nation’s nurturing democracy if the Supreme Court dances to the tune of Oyetola in delivering their judgement on Tuesday”.
It maintained that the four years of the Oyetola administration “was full of flagrant disregard of court pronouncements (including Supreme Court judgement)”, adding that the same Oyetola was “clamouring to get justice through the backdoor from the Supreme Court on the election he lost”.
CHRSJ, in the statement signed by its Executive Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, insisted that “Governor Ademola Adeleke was eminently qualified to contest for the office of the Governor as stipulated by the amended 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Appeal Court of Justice through its judgement in 2018”.
It urged the five Supreme Court Justices presiding over the Apex Court Election Petition Panel on Appeal Judgement on Petition N0: EPT/OS/GOV/01/2022 “to remain steadfast to do the rights thing by upholding the position of the Appeal Court Judgement which was the wish of God and good people Osun State, especially, Osun State electorates that voted massively for Governor Adeleke during July 16th, 2022 Governorship Election”.
According to CHRSJ, “It is our fervent prayers that God Almighty would direct the noble cause of our Supreme Court Judges to safeguard our nurturing democracy through their pronouncements without fear or favour by developing a bold spirit as identified by late Lord Alfred Dennin, to do justice to good electorates of Osun State that voted massively for Governor Ademola Adeleke during the July 16, 2022 governorship election in the State”.
The statement concluded by quoting late Ali Bhutto of Pakistan, who once sai: “I do not ask for mercy. I do not beg for pardon but I demand for justice”.
